“I’d like to do so, Kane,” replied the detective; “but there are several things here to which I ought to give my attention to-day, now that I have a few moments at my disposal in which to do so. You see——” “Hold on, Nick. I haven’t finished yet.” “Well, go ahead, then.” “This is a business proposition I’m making. I was boarded by pirates last night, and I want you to see if you can’t catch them.” “Boarded by—what?” “Pirates—p-i-r-a-t-e-s—pirates. The real thing, too. Honest Injun, Nick! Did you ever read Cooper’s ‘Red Rover’? Well, I could take my oath that he has risen from the bottom of the sea and resumed business at the old stand. I hope to goodness he won’t hear me; he might think I am joking, and I was never more in dead earnest in my life.” “Do you mean that the _Goalong_ was boarded by pirates—really?” “Do I mean it! Huh! Can’t you see that I’ve lost flesh? It takes a pretty good-sized man, with a mighty big proposition on his side of the question, to scare me, Nick, as you are aware; but that pirate chap did the act, without a hitch. I haven’t got over it yet.” “You aren’t trying one of your jokes on me, are you, Kane?” “No—on my honor, no!” “Tell me all about it.” “Not here, old man. Come aboard the yacht. I’d rather tell you there. You see, that is what I have come here for. When this thing happened, I said to my wife and her sister—they are aboard the _Goalong_ with me, you know—I told them that there was only one thing for us to do, and that was to hurry to the city and find you; and so, if you don’t mind—and you have just admitted that you can spare the time—I’ll take you aboard with me now, and you can hear the story there, all at once. I won’t affront you by offering you anything for your services; but, all the same, if it were a question of bidding against another client in order to secure you to-day, I’d outbid Standard Oil. Can I put it any stronger than that, Nick?” “Not very well.” “And you’ll come, eh—for friendship’s sake?” “Yes; I’ll be with you in a moment. Wait here.” The detective left the room, but presently he returned, ready for the street, and, without more delay, the two friends left the house together. “I came across in a car,” said Kane. “You don’t mind, do you?” They boarded a west-bound Twenty-third Street car, and in a very short time were aboard the sumptuous yacht, which had been waiting to receive them. As soon as their feet were pressed upon the deck, the plank was drawn in, and the lines cast off, and they had not advanced to the awning under which Kane’s wife and two guests were seated while awaiting them, before the yacht was backing out into the river.